OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 176 



remaining part barred alternately with ash and rufous cross-bars; 

 thighs, light tawny rufous with narrow bars of ashy; tarsi clothed 

 to one-third of their length ; tail, light-ashy below, bluish-ashy 

 grey above, with indistinct bars, obsolete in centre two feathers ; 

 the margins of the inner webs towards the base washed with 

 tawny ; bill, black ; cere, legs, and feet, greenish-yellow — (dry 

 skin) ; iris, yellow. Total length 15*5 in. ; wing, 10 in. ; tail, 

 8*5 in.; tarsus, 2*6 in. Sex, female. The male is precisely 

 similar in plumage, slightly smaller in measurements. I find in all 

 our specimens that on the centre and outer-tail feathers, the bars 

 have faded out, but on the third and fourth on either side, the 

 bars are tolerably distinct. 



Descriptions of Australian Micro-Lepidoptera. 

 By E. Meyrick, Esq., B.A. 



I CRAMBITES. 



It is somewhat surprising that no progress should yet have 

 been made towards the knowledge of Micro-Lepidoptera in a 

 country which so abounds with the groups included under that 

 term as Australia does. In general, the small size and delicate 

 nature of the specimens preclude them from being commonly 

 sent home to England by travelling collectors ; but they offer a 

 wide field for the study of resident entomologists. According to 

 the very imperfect data at present possessed, I estimate the total 

 number of species occurring on the Australian continent to be 

 fully 10,000, as they much exceed the larger Lepidoptera here in 

 number and variety. It is to be hoped, therefore, that, when 

 once a start has been made, entomologists will begin to take some 

 interest in the subject ; and it may not be out of place to state 

 that I shall always be ready to determine to the best of my 

 ability any species that may be entrusted to my care, and that 

 it would be of great interest to receive collections even of the 

 commoner kinds from various parts of the country. 



A certain number of descriptions of Australian Micros were 

 included by Walker in his British Museum Catalogues ; these 

 names T have of course adopted when recognisable, but the 



